Method of operating an electrolytic cell.



E. E. WERNER. METHOD OF OPERATING AN ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.3, I914.

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METHOD 0F OYERATING AN ELECTROLYTIC GELL. I

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented May 111, rats.

Application filed August 3, 1914. 7 Serial No. 854,654.

To all whom it may concern:

]Be it known that I, Ennnsr E. WERNER, a citizen of the United States, residing in Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of Operating Electrolytic Cells, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved method of generating chlorin electrolytically from saline solutions, and has for its general object to provide for the continuous maintenance of the conditions essential to the uninterrupted operation of the electrolytic cells at maximum capacity for a given section.

Special objects of the invention are to provide for carrying oil rapidly the products and waste products of the cathode chamber and from the top of such chamher; to continuously cool, without diluting the electrolyte and thereby produce an increase of cell capacity, the latter depending, to a great extent, on the maintenance of a given temperature.

The invention is concerned more particularly with the operation of that type of electrolytic cell which is commonly mown as the specific gravity or bell type of cell, although it may be applied to other forms of cell operating under similar conditions. 'Cells of this type usually comprise an outer chamber made from non-conducting and alkali-resisting material, and an inner chamber but which, in addition, must be resistive to the action of chlorin, and 'which, in the form of a bell, is inverted within the outer chamber and separates the electrolyte surrounding the anode and cathode, being interposed between the latter. The electrolyte is circulated from the anode to the cathode, and provision is made to allow the spent and alkali-saturated electrolyte to flow ofi. lhis elimination is always incom lete, and in consequence an intermixing o the anolyte and catholyte takes lace, which not only is detrimental to uni ormity and continuity of operation, but also tends to produce wasteful and dirty by-products, and interferes with the efiiciencyof the cell in general. As a consequence, these cells are of relatively low capacity, and very dimcult to keep clean.

For certain purposes, such as the treatment of food products by means of chlorin,

made from similar material,

' designated by as, for example, in the bleaching of flour, it is essential that a uniform and continuous stream of chlorin should be produced, and that this. production be under conditions which call for the minimum of skill and attention on the part of the operator. In the' specific application ofm'y improved method to the bleaching of flour, it is furthermore desirable that the chlorin should be highly diluted with air. 7

The above-recited disadvantages are overcome, and the above-recited objects attained, by proceeding according to my invention, and in a manner insuring high efficiency, unifdrmity of production, and purity of the desired medium.

in the accompanying drawing 1 have shown an apparatus, or so much thereof as is necessary to illustrate how my invention may be practised to accomplish in a simple and novel fashion the above stated objects.

In said drawing, Figure 1 is a plan view, partly broken away, of so much of an electrolytic apparatus as is necessary to, illustrate the operation of my invention; and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof.

It should be here stated that the apparatus herein shown is part of a complete apparatus which is to be embodied in a separate application for patent.

Referring now to this drawing, the numeral 1 indicates the base of an electrolytic cell, on which are supported inclosing walls 2, which, in turn, support a top 3, these parts providing a container, indicated generall by the letter A. Suitably supporM om the top 3, by means of electrodes 3, is a cathode 4 which surrounds a hell 5 extending into the cathode chamber, and having a top 6 projecting from the sides thereof to form a closure for the opening in the top 3 through which the bell is inserted, and being suitably supported from the basal by supports 6. Suitably mounted in the top 6, and insulated therefrom, are posts 7, .8, 9, which also act as electrodes to support an anode 10. The space inclosed by the bell 5 constitutes the anode chamber, the numeral 11, and the space surrounding the hell 5 constitutes the cathode chamber, designated by the numeral 12. The post 7 is provided with a vertically-disposed duct 13, and a transverse and communicating duct 14 for permitting the entrance of air into the anode chamber.

- vided with a vertically-disposed duct 21',"

. site wall 2 is a pipe 27 which communicates drop, under control, from any suitable source (not shown), .a saline solution. The top surface of the anode 10 is provided with longitudinal grooves 18 and transversegrooves 19, the opening 15 terminating over one of the grooves 18. As the saline solution flows through the duct. 15 it is thor-' oughly distributed over the surface of the anode by means of the grooves 18'and 19. The anode is furthermore provided throughout with closely arranged, reversely-tapered openings 20 to permit the downward flow of the saline solution and the upward escape of the evolved chlorin. The post 9 is proand a transversely disposed and communieating duct 22 to provide for the escape of chlorin from the anode chamber.

One of the walls 2 is provided near its upper end with an opening 23 which is inclosed by a cap 24, from the upper portion of which extends an outlet pipe 25 for the escape of hydrogen, or other waste gases, and from the bottom of which extends an outlet pipe 26 for the escape of fluid and.

waste products overflowing from the oathode chamber through the opening 23. V

Extending through the center of the oppoinside of the cathode chamber with a pipe 28 having a central discharge nozzle 29,

and end discharge nozzles 30. The pipe 27- communicates with a source of water supply (not shown), and a valve 31 is provided in said pipe for controlling theflow of water therethrough. The heighth of the electrolyte in the container A is indicated by the dotted line 32. The saline solution flows through the duct 16 and is distributed over the surface of the anode 10 and passes through the openings 20 into the container A, and being of greater specific gravity than said electrolyte, tends to settle to the bottom of said container.- The electrolyte which surrounds the outer walls of the bell 5, which bell is surrounded by the metal cathode 4, becomes, in operation, of lesser specific gravity than the saline solution fed through the duct 16, and in consequence the tendency exists for this latter portion of the electrolyte to rise, and an elimination of this portion takes place through the overflow 23. As' before stated, in the operation of the ordinary ap paratus of the type herein described, this elimination is but imperfectly accomplished, and the intermixing of the lighter and heavier portions of the electrolyte takes place, which is undesirable, by'reason of the occurrence of secondary. reactions, as well understood. I therefore introduce into the cathode chamber from the nozzles 29 and however,

30 a. controllable stream of cold water, which, being of still lesser gravity than the alkali-laden portion of the electrolyte, maintains a constantly moving layer or film, which rapidly dissolves and carries ofi,

through the opening 23, such crystals, dirt,

and anode mud as always form in the operationof cells of this type. Furthermore, since it is necessary for the economic operation of such cell to hold the influx of the saline solution to that which is needed for maintaining the correct density of the salt solution, 7 is hardly suflicient to maintain an overflow and since this minimum of an considerable volume, it is obvious that t e addition of the stream of water of less specific gravity quantitatively produces a"more rapid elimination of the dissolved waste products.

I find in operation that benefits other than the mere cleansing action described accrue from the introduction of the water. Thus, the purrent'density may be materially increased so that while heretofore ajdensity of .1' to .15 ampere per square inch has been considered the allowable maximum,l

by. my improved method of proceeding no difiiculty in using up .to 2.00 amperes per square inch; and I have succeeded in maintaining a cell of this t pe, having an inner bell diameter .of but ve inches, at a current density of. amperes, in continuous operation for over one week. Careful measurements have shown that the superimposed stream of water has no observable diluting eflect upon the electrolyte, and it is probable that the additional current capacity of the cell is due to the cooling effect of the added Water, it being well known that it is desirable to operate cells of this type below the limitof 40 degrees C.

In'the'production of dilute chlorin according to my present method, I proceed on the theory that everything except chlorin produced by the cell is waste. I therefore maintain the electrolyte in prime condition by eliminating from it, otherwise useful, as

well as wasteful products, by diluting or dissolving such products, while maintaining,

full concentration of the electrolyte within which the production takes place.

While heretofore it has been customary to make tight joints in the chlorin chamber to prevent dilution, I, on the other hand, provide a specific opening to provide means.

for the entrance of air to the inner or anode chamber to cause dilution, and I am thereby enabled, by means of an aspirator or similar device (not shown) to draw from the anode chamber, through the opening 21, the chlorin evolved in 'a dilute condition. In fact, I aim to, and do, prevent the existence of chlorin other than as diluted with air. In this manner I abstract, so to speak, the chlorin as soon as it is produced.

lln the cathode chamber ll literally Wipe the surface of the electrolyte to cleanse it, and it is not improbable that the film of water maintained on the surface has not only a mechanical cleaning function, but also the property of dissolving portions of what is here a Waste product, and thereby assisting in the elimination of the hydrogen generated within this chamber, together with the particles of sodium. hydroxid carried by it, which are also rapidly carried away. hus it will be obvious that in the absence of substances Which tend to combine Where they exist in solution to form Waste products, such secondary reaction cannot take place.

I claim:

1. The method of generating chlorin electrolytically from a saline solution which comprises continuously removing products formed in the cathode chamber by maintaining, at the surface of the catholyte therein, a flow of a fluid, and continuously discharging said fluid and the products carried thereby from said chamber at a point above the normal surface of the catholyte,

2. The method of generating chlorin electrolytically from a saline solution which comprises continuously removing Waste products formed in the catholyte chamber by maintaining, at the surface of the catholyte therein, a flow of a fluid of less specific gravity than the catholyte, and continuously discharging said fluid and the Waste products carried thereb from said chamber at a point above the normal surface of the catholyte.

3. The method of generating chlorin electrolytically from a saline solution which comprises continuously removing solid products formed in the cathode chamber by maintaining, at the surface of the catholyte therein, a flow of a fluid capable of dissolving said products, and for continuously discharging said fluid carrying the dissolved products from said chamber at a point above the normal surface of the catholyte.

Y t. The method of generating chlorin electrolytically from a saline solution which comprises continuously removing solid products formed in the cathode chamber by maintaining, at the surface of the catholyte therein, a flow of a fluid of less specific gravity than the electrolyte, and one capable of dissolving said products and continuously discharging said fluid carrying the dissolved products from said chamber at a point above the normal surface of the cathol te.

5. The method of generating chlorin electrolytically from a saline solution which comprises continuously introducing into the cathode chamber of the cell, at the surface of the catholyte therein, an agent capable of dissolving the solid products formed in said chamber and continuously discharging the dissolved products from said chamber at a point above the normal surface of the catholyte.

6. The method of generating chlorin electrolytically from a saline solution which comprises continuously introducing into the cathode chamber, at the surface of the catholyte therein, a cooling fluid, and continuously discharging said fluid from said chamber at a point above the normal surface of the catholyte.

7. The method of generating chlorin electrolytically from a saline solution Which comprises continuously introducing into the cathode chamber, at the surface of the catholyte therein, a cooling fluid of less specific gravity than the electrolyte, and continuously discharging said fluid from said chamber at a point above the normal surface of the catholyte.

In testimony whereof, l have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

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Witnesses S'rnmn HILL, G. A. Punmuuron. 

